Sicilian Chicken Wings

Pizza and wings are rare guilty pleasures of mine and Mike’s. Actually, I’m a pizza girl (New York-style for me, please!) and he’s crazy about wings. As you can imagine, we were both in our glory on our last trip to New York City. After a long day of shopping, sightseeing, and dining out, one of our favorite things to do in the evening was relax in our hotel room and order dinner in. (Which of course rejuvenated us so that we could go back out after dinner…after all, it is the city that never sleeps!)

We ordered pizza a couple different nights and one night we also ordered a side of wings for Mike. He took one bite and started moaning so vehemently that I thought either he was in pain or the wings tasted like something that no human should ever ingest. “What? What’s wrong?!” I practically shouted at him. I think it was at that point that he fell over in ecstasy on the couch and proclaimed them (and I quote) “the best wings he’s ever had”. (And we’re from upstate, so that statement really says a lot.)

Mike and I both remember that they were called Sicilian Chicken Wings, but I wish we could remember where we got them from so I could give them ample credit; sadly, neither of us can remember (which is even more frustrating because he wants to order them again on our next trip!). What I can do is share my recipe, which Mike says is spot on.

Now, just a little forewarning, if you’re familiar with fantastic chicken wings (aka Buffalo wings), let me say that these Sicilian wings were different in a few ways. First of all, they were broiled…now I know what you’re thinking, how on earth can you get a nice crispy wing in the broiler?! (Or maybe it was just me who thought this before I gave them a try.) In any event, I promise it’s possible…the wings don’t get quite as completely crispy as a nice Buffalo wing, but surprisingly they are pleasantly crisp. The other main difference is that the sauce. Instead of being tossed with a spicy, vinegary, butter sauce with garlic powder like Buffalo wings, these wings are drenched in a spicy butter sauce with real garlic. And it makes all the difference in the world.

Sicilian Chicken Wings

(Yield: 4 servings)

10 chicken wings

2 tsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1 TB lemon juice

4 TB hot sauce, divided (more or less to taste)

2 large cloves garlic, divided (1 clove cracked and 1 clove minced)

1 TB olive oil, plus more to grease the baking sheet

2 TB butter

1-3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

Salt and pepper

Cut each chicken wing into three pieces at the joints; you will end up with 10 drumettes (the fatter wings), 10 wingettes (the flatter wings), and 10 tips (discard the tips or save them for making chicken stock). In a large bowl, combine 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, 1 TB lemon juice, 2 TB hot sauce, 1 clove cracked garlic, and 1 cup of water; stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Add the wings, then add more water to just cover everything. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Preheat broiler and lightly oil a baking sheet with olive oil. Remove the wings from the brine, rinse with cold water, and pat dry. Toss wings with 1 TB olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Broil about 15 minutes until browned and fully cooked, flipping every few minutes.

OMG these sound incredible! LOVE garlic and LOVE chicken wings! Perfect combo! I am going to make these soon and look for them in NYC next time I’m there! Thanks so much! If you really love garlic check out my blog post today at http://popcorngirl12.wordpress.com. Thank you again!

I’m sold. Anything with butter and garlic has me smiling. Thank you for sharing with me. After a very long week, it is refreshing to return to the blogs/people that I love. Your words mean more to me than I can express. Many blessings this week!

I love that you guys ordered in and then went out on the town again after refueling with good food and some relaxation. A lot of people stress out on their vacations and try to pack in as much as possible and then they’re exhausted at the end. You guys know how to vacation the proper relaxing way. Loving these wings, Faith. I’ve been looking for a great wings recipe. Would love to keep these a try some day.

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Hello! I’m Faith and I write An Edible Mosaic. This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics, with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. I focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home. Welcome to my mosaic of recipes.